Cavaliers analysis: Plan to remain competitive will be misguided if it costs Cavs 2019 first-round pick

By Marla RidenourAkron Beacon JournalGateHouse Media Ohio

Monday

Jul 2, 2018 at 6:45 PM

GM Koby Altman and his staff must convince owner Dan Gilbert that it makes no sense to fight for last playoff spot and remain on the fringe of NBA relevance with no high draft picks and no salary cap space.

What the Cavaliers have been saying is admirable. Perhaps it was the visible posture they had to take before LeBron James made Decision 3.0.

But it shouldn’t happen.

The word from inside the Cavs has been they want to keep five-time All-Star Kevin Love, they want to remain competitive, even after James announced Sunday he is headed to the Los Angeles Lakers.

But that’s not the way to go forward.

General Manager Koby Altman and his staff must convince owner Dan Gilbert that it makes no sense to fight for the eighth seed in the playoffs and remain on the fringe of NBA relevance with no high draft picks and no salary cap space.

As tough as it was on Gilbert when the Cavs totaled 97 victories in the four years James was with the Miami Heat from 2010-14, the Cavs might have to experience some semblance of that to improve long term. And remember, three of those seasons came with Kyrie Irving, whose No. 2 Collin Sexton, the Alabama point guard selected eighth overall two weeks ago, intends to wear.

The Cavs should rebuild.

That might be tough for Gilbert to come to grips with. It goes against the fan inside him, against his business acumen, his fiery competitiveness. The Cavs are in the midst of a $140 million transformation of Quicken Loans Arena and the most significant events it might hold could be the All-Star Game its renovation hopes to lure and when James visits with the Lakers.

The crux of the issue is a 2019 first-round draft pick. If it falls outside No. 10, it belongs to the Atlanta Hawks, surrendered in the January, 2017 trade for Kyle Korver. If it’s a lottery pick, it belongs to the Cavs.

The Cavs need that top 10 pick, even if it means trading Love and some form of tanking to get it.

There are other possible deals to be made. Korver, George Hill and J.R. Smith carry low guarantees for 2019-20, which at some point will be considered expiring contracts. Korver has $10.9 million guaranteed remaining (including 2018-19 and the following season), Smith $18.6 million, Hill $20 million. Buyouts are also an option.

The Cavs might not be able to move Tristan Thompson, still owed nearly $36 million, but he’s only 27. He could become the veteran leader of a young roster that includes Sexton (19), Jordan Clarkson (26), Larry Nance Jr. (25), Cedi Osman (23), Ante Zizic (21) and perhaps restricted free agent Rodney Hood (25).

Even without James, the Cavs have $109 million in guaranteed salaries for 2018-19, according to ESPN. The salary cap sits at $101.8 million, the luxury tax threshold at $123.7 million.

In 2019-20, the Cavs’ guaranteed salary total dips to $69 million, according to ESPN. In 2020-21 it currently stands at zero.

Love, 29, has said he wants to stay. He has two years remaining on his contract that carries a $24.1 million salary this season and a player option for $25.5 million in 2019-20.

He could flourish without James and the drama he creates, becoming more like the power forward who averaged 19.2 points and 12.2 rebounds in his first six years with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has much to play for considering he can opt out next summer and become a free agent.

The Cavs also can use a $5.3 million salary cap exception and a $5.8 million trade exception to add players.

Coach Tyronn Lue is excited about the chance to teach and mold the Cavs’ youngsters, to show them how to operate an offense with a fast pace and ball movement. They also have a core that seems interested in defense.

But the Cavs must keep an eye on the pick traded for Korver. They cannot jeopardize a lottery selection if it’s unlikely they’ll make the playoffs, even with Love on the roster.

Remaining competitive was the right message to send last week. But without James, that strategy might turn out to be misguided.

Calderon joins Pistons

Guard Jose Calderon, who spent last season with the Cavs, agreed to a one-year, $2.4 million contract with the Detroit Pistons, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN.

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